Discovery of Canned Mussels from the 1940s Provides Evidence of pre-War Contamination Levels

Analysis of recently discovered canned mussels from the early 1940s shows that pollution levels were lower during this period than they were following World War II. Previous studies have shown that pollution levels in the coastal environment rose from World War II until the 1970s, when a wave of Federal regulations aimed at reducing environmental contamination were put in place. Despite regulation, however, certain contaminants appear at consistent levels. These findings were published in the December 2009 edition of Marine Pollution Bulletin.